Report: South Korean prosecutors demand death penalty for captain of doomed ferry

Lee Joon-seok, the captain of the sunken South Korean ferry Sewol, left, arrives at Gwangju District Court in Gwangju, South Korea, Monday, Oct. 27, 2014. South Korean prosecutors demanded the death penalty for the captain of a doomed ferry and life sentences to three key crew members, arguing Monday they are responsible for April’s sinking that killed more than 300 people, news reports said. (AP Photo/Yonhap, Park Chul-hong) KOREA OUT
(The Associated Press)

Lee Joon-seok, the captain of the sunken South Korean ferry Sewol, second from right, arrives at Gwangju District Court in Gwangju, South Korea, Monday, Oct. 27, 2014. South Korean prosecutors demanded the death penalty for the captain of a doomed ferry and life sentences to three key crew members, arguing Monday they are responsible for April’s sinking that killed more than 300 people, news reports said. (AP Photo/Yonhap, Park Chul-hong) KOREA OUT
(The Associated Press)

An unidentified family member of passengers aboard the sunken ferry Sewol caries as she demands maximum punishment to be sentenced on the crew members of the ferry during their trial at Gwangju District Court in Gwangju, South Korea, Monday, Oct. 27, 2014. South Korean prosecutors demanded the death penalty for the captain of a doomed ferry and life sentences to three key crew members, arguing Monday they are responsible for April’s sinking that killed more than 300 people, news reports said. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
(The Associated Press)

SEOUL, South Korea – A news report says South Korean prosecutors have demanded the death penalty for the captain of a ferry that sank in April, killing more than 300 people.

Yonhap news agency says prosecutors on Monday also requested that a district court issue life sentences to three other key crew members tasked with navigating the ship on charges that they were negligent and failed to protect passengers when the ferry was sinking April 16.

The four were among the first group of people rescued when the ferry began badly listing.

The Gwangju District Court said it couldn't immediately confirm the report.

The sinking, one of South Korea's deadliest disasters, caused nationwide grief and fury, with authorities blaming overloading of cargo, improper storage, untimely rescue efforts and other negligence for the incident.